The present invention generally relates to a management system for a plant facility and a method for managing the plant facility.
A plant or a factory (hereinafter collectively referred to as “plant”) commonly utilizes a process control system to implement advanced automatic operations. The process control system controls various types of process data (e.g., pressure, temperature, flow quantity, etc.) in an industrial process. To secure safety and perform advanced control, the process control system is equipped with a control system such as a distributed control system (DCS) and a safety system such as a safety instrumented system (SIS).
In a DCS, a plurality of field devices (e.g., a measurement device and a manipulation device) each communicate with a control device for controlling the field devices through a network. The control device in the DCS collects measurement data measured by the field devices, and operates or controls the field devices in accordance with the collected measurement data, in order to control various types of process data.
The control device of the DCS may be accessed from an operation monitoring terminal operated by an operator for monitoring the status of plant operation or behavior. The operation monitoring terminal includes a display such as a liquid crystal display, an input unit such as a keyboard and a mouse, and a communication device the operator uses to monitor the status visually. The operator can access the data collected in the DCS via the operation monitoring terminal to check the condition of the field device or the plant facility around the field device.
In case an abnormal value or problem is detected on the field device, a field worker working in the facility may need to identify its location and resolve the problem. Thus, tracking the location of the field device in the facility may be important for purposes of facility management, to ensure safety and operation efficiency. Additionally, identifying and tracking the field worker's location may be important for the productivity of maintenance activities and other routine business activities in the plant facility.
In general, a Global Positioning System (GPS) is known to locate a device or a person who holds the device. However, GPS is only suitable for outdoor position tracking where a fix on a satellite signal can be obtained, and is not suited for indoor use because microwaves from the satellites will be attenuated and scattered. For example, GPS cannot be used for tracking the field worker or the field device in a closed explosion-proof facility where microwaves are unable to reach the inside of the facility.